Today's gaming terminal typically comprises a computerized system controlling a video display or reels that provide wagering games such as slots, video card games (poker, blackjack etc.), video keno, video bingo, video pachinko and other games typical in the gaming industry. In past systems, the software controlling the computerized system has been primarily proprietary software, including both the operating system and gaming software.
In previous systems, the gaming terminal software has been provided as a single monolithic system. That is, all of the software is built and provided as a single product or unit. This manner of providing gaming software can lead to several problems.
For example, one problem is that different jurisdictions (e.g. nations, states, provinces etc.) have varying rules that are enforced with respect to gaming. Accommodating each jurisdiction's rules in previous systems becomes more and more complex as time goes on.
Additionally, there has been a trend in recent times towards the acceptance by regulatory bodies and the gaming industry of networking game machines and gaming components. Such networking of game machines increases the desirability of providing modular gaming machine components rather than single monolithic gaming systems because modular components are more efficiently managed and delivered over a network.
Furthermore, gaming systems are now being run on a variety of different operating systems. For example, a central server for a gaming establishment may be running one operating system while the gaming machines run alternative and incompatible software. As a result, significant portions of the gaming software must typically be rewritten every time a new operating system is desired, or a new version of an operating system is released for the gaming system.
In view of the above mentioned problems and concerns, there is a need in the art for the present invention.